Roller screen



6, 1938. Y L. F. JULIEN 2,126,782

ROLLER SCREEN Filed Feb. '17, 1938 s Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR LozzzsFfzzzln,

ATToR NE Y' Aug. 16, 1938.

L. F. JULIEN ROLLER SCREEN Filed Feb. 17, 1938 FIG.

INVENT R Lozz 2s FiZzen ATTORN EY 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 L. F. JULIEN ROLLERSCREEN Aug. 16, 1938.

Filed Fab. 1?, 1938 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR. 4 ozzzsfi'izzz'en.

TORNEY.

Patented Aug. 16, 1938 UNITED STATES ROLLER SCREEN Louis F. Julien,Detroit,

Mich, assignor to Chamberlin Metal Weather Strip Company, Detroit, Mich,a corporation of Michigan Application February 17, 1938, Serial No.191,023

5 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in roller screens, and refersparticularly to roller screens having guides to be mounted upon theopposite vertical sides of a window frame, and a roller carrying aflexible screen the lateral margins of which extend into the guideswherein they are vertically slidable.

It is an object of the invention to provide a roller screen, which issimple and efficient in operation, consisting of two guides forattachment to opposite sides of a window frame and a housing mountedupon and extending between the guides; and wherein the housing carries aroller to which one extremity of a flexible screen is attached, and thevertical margins of the latter extend into and are slidable in theguides. Thus I aim, among other things, to provide an integratedstructure consisting of the guides and the housing which may be soarranged relative to the window frame as to eliminate the passage offlies and other things between the frame and the structure, and whereinthe guides only are secured to the frame and the housing is carried bythe guides.

Another object of the invention is to provide a roller screen whereinmeans are included in the guides for limiting the upward movement of thescreen when the latter is released, thereby arresting it at any desiredheight so that it may, in the case of high windows, remain at restwithin easy reach.

A further object of the invention is to provide a roller'screen whereinmeans are provided for retaining the lower margin of the screensubstantially horizontal at all times, and wherein means are providedfor preventing the binding of the screen when pressure is exerted uponit adjacent either lateral margin for moving it vertically. Thus I aimto eliminate any tendency to tear the locking bar mounted across thelower extremity of the screen from the latter.

While in the foregoing some of the objects and advantages of theinvention have been briefly and broadly stated, I will now describe apreferred embodiment of the invention with the aid of the accompanyingdrawings, in which:

Figure 1 illustrates a front elevation of the screen mounted in a windowframe.

Figure 2 is an enlarged sectional view of the housing.

Figure 3 is an enlarged view of one of the guides partly in section,showing a carriage therein and the locking bar across the lowerextremity of the screen.

Figure i is an enlarged front view showing a portion of a guide member,a carriage slidable therein, and the lower extremity of the screen inthe position in which it is held against accidental upward movement bythe carriage.

Figure 5 is an enlarged section on the line 5--5 of Figure 6.

Figure 6 is a somewhat smaller view partly in section on the line 66 ofFigure 5.

Figure '7 is a section on the line l--l of Figure 4:.

Figure 8 is a section on the line 8-8 of Figure 2, and

Figure 9 is a perspective view of one of the carriages.

Referring to the drawings, 1 designates a conventional window framehaving opposed vertical faces 2 to each of which a guide 3 is suitablysecured, and opposed top and bottom horizontal faces 4 and 5respectively. The guides 3, which are similar except that they are rightand left hand, extend from the bottom of the window frame substantiallyto the top.

Each guide member 3 consists of two longitudinal elements 6 and l. Theelement 6, which is substantially angle-shaped in section, has oneportion 8, to rest against one vertical face 2 of the window frame, anda second portion 9 angularly disposed thereto. Towards its outerextremity the latter portion 9 is folded at It to lie for a shortdistance parallel with and opposite the portion 8 and terminates in aninturned flange ll, thereby forming a substantially U-shaped guideway l2opposite the portion 8. The second element 1, which is alsosubstantially angle-shaped in section, has one portion l4 which restsupon the portion 8 of the element 6 for a short distance from the outerextremity of the latter, and a second portion i5 angularly disposedthereto and parallel with the portion 9 of the element 6. The secondportion 15 is folded at it towards its outer extremity and terminates inan inturned flange ll parallel with the flange H and spaced therefrom,thereby forming a second substantially U-shaped guideway Hi. Theportions 8 and M of the elements 5 and l, which are fastened to oneanother as by rivets H], are suitably secured to one vertical face 2 ofthe window frame by fastening means not shownwhich extend through theopenings 2E3.

Vertically slidable in each guide 3 is a carriage 2|. The latter issubstantially U-shaped in section and has its central portion 22upturned at its extremities to form stops 23 the transverse edges ofwhich are substantially in alignment with the margins of the opposedsides 24 and 25 of the said carriage. Projecting outwardly from one side24 of the carriage interm'cdiately of its width is a flange 26 havingflexed lugs 27, 28 and 29 thereon, which lie opposite and parallel tothe sides 24- and 25. One of the lugs 21 is positioned adjacent each endof the center lug 28 and somewhat beneath the latter, and the lugs 29-are provided one at each extremity of the flange 26 and in alignmentwith the lug 23. A leaf spring 30 is supported centrally of its lengthbeneath the center lug 28 and upon the lugs 21. Towards both itsextremities this spring is outwardly flexed and terminates in parallelends 3! adapted to bear against the undersides of the lugs 29 when thecarriage is disassembled from its guides. The spring 38 intermediatelyof its length, both above and beneath the center lug 28, bears againstthe guideway I2 and tends to retain the side 25 of the carriage againstthe portion 3 of the guide 3, while the central portion 22 of thecarriage is retained contiguous to the portion 9 of the guide in amanner hereinafter referred to.

32 denotes a housing consisting of a multi-sided casing closed at itsextremities by end plates 33 which are marginally flexed to enter theends of the casing. The latter is slotted adjacent its extremities at32a for the passage of lugs 34 integral with. the end plates 33. Theselugs are folded exteriorly of the casing to retain their plates inposition. Intermediately of their peripheries the plates 33 are inwardlydished, and formed centrally through them are circular openings 35 toreceive the extremities of the spindle 36. Formed integral with one ofthe plates 33 is a clip or projection 5'! to support a locking member 58which has a non-circular opening therethrough to receive a non-circularextremity 36a of the spindle and hold the latter against rotation. 69 isa cotter pin through the spindle extremity. Around the oppositeextremities of the spindle 36 rotary hubs 31 are provided theperipheries of which are suitably secured, as by pins 38 to the bore ofa transverse roller 39 across which one extremity of a flexible screen40 is secured. A coil spring 4| around the spindle 36 is secured at oneextremity to the latter and at its opposite extremity to one of the hubs31.

Formed through the housing 32 is a transverse slot 42 through which theflexible screen 40 extends; and mounted across the outer margin of thelatter is a cushion 43 and a locking bar 44. Both the latter arepreferably held upon the screen by bolts 45 which also constitute stopsand contact the underside of the housing when the screen is raised toits top position. Formed integral with and transversely of the housing32 adjacent opposite sides of the slot 42 are socketlike portions 46 ineach extremity of each of which. a rod 41 is held to project outwardlytherefrom. The outwardly extending ends of these rods 41 are carried bysupports 43. The latter consist of circular portions concentric with andterminating adjacent the extremities of the socket-line portions 46, andhaving flexed outer ends which are suitably secured to the guides 3. Thesupports are preferably so arranged that either the top horizontal face321) or the vertical face 320 of the housing is positioned contiguous toa portion of the upper transverse face 4 of the window frame to preventthe passage of flies and other things between the said frame and thehousing throughout the width of the latter.

The cushion 43 consists of a folded piece of resilient material 49 thelower folded margin of which contacts the lower horizontal face 5 of thewindow frame when the screen is in its lowered position. Flexed aroundboth sides of the resilient material 49 and across the top of the latteris a holder 50 which extends around the lower edge of the screen 40, andupwardly a short distance against the inner face of the latter. Astrengthening strip 5| rests against the outer face of the screen for acorresponding distance from the bottom. The locking bar 44 which issubstantially tubular in section, has an integral upwardly directedflange 52. The bolts 45 extend through the latter, through the holder50, the screen 40 and the strengthening strip 5|. Mounted verticallyupon the holder 50 adjacent the bottom lateral margins of the screen 40are shoes 65.

Mounted in the locking bar 44, and normally projecting from each side ofthe latter, is a latch 53. As both the latches and their correlatingparts are the same I will describe the mounting of one of them. Atension plate 54 has one extremity 54a folded to engage one lateralmargin of the locking bar 44, extends into the latter, and terminates ina transverse apertured plate 55. Secured to one face of the latch 53 isa pin 53 which is rearwardly stepped adjacent thereto and extendsinwardly parallel with the latch. Adjacent its inner extremity this pinis supported for axial movement in the apertured portion 55 of thetension plate. Secured around the pin 56 adjacent its stepped extremityis a collar 51, and

around the pin between the said apertured portion 55 and the collar 57 ahelical spring 58 is arranged. This spring both retains the foldedextremity of the tension plate 54 in engagement with the lateral marginof the locking bar 44, and

also tends to retain the latch 53 in its outwardly projecting position.

Slidable in the bar 44 towards the center thereof is a slide 59connected to the latch 53 by a spacing member 63. In order that spacingmemhers of the same length may be employed when assembling locking barsfor windows of different widths I prefer to provide a plurality ofapertures 6| in the latch 53 any one of which may receive the outerextremity of the spacing member. Extending upwardly through a slot 62formed in the locking bar 44 is an operating element the inner extremityof which is secured to the slide 59. Obviously by moving the operatingelement towards the center of the locking bar the latch 53 is movedinwardly against the tension of the spring 58, and as soon as theelement is released the latch returns to its normal outwardly projectingposition.

Secured upon each guide 3 adjacent its lower extremity is anangle-shaped keeper 64 having a forwardly extending flange 64a which isinwardly and downwardly inclined, The outer edge faces of the latches 53are also downwardly and inwardly inclined so that when they contact thekeeper flanges 64a, as the screen is being lowered, the latches aremoved inwardly against the tension of the springs 58 until they havepassed beneath the said flanges.

The lateral margins of the screen 40 extend between the flanges H and I!of the guides 3, and the shoes 65, which are mounted for verticalmovement in the carriages 2i, retain the central portions 22 of thelatter contiguous to the guide portions 9.

The operation of my roller screen is briefly as follows: When the screen48 is at its top position the locking bar 44 rests contiguous to theunderside of the housing 32. The carriages 2! are then adjacent the topof the guides 3, and the shoes 55 rest against the upper carriage stops23. As the locking bar and the bottom of the screen are moved downwardthe shoes 55 travel down in the carriages 2! until they contact thebottom stops .23. During this time the carriages have been heldstationary by contact of the springs 39 with the guideways l2. Howeveronce the shoes contact the bottom stops continued downward movement ofthe screen also causes downward movement of the carriages.

The coil spring 4| around the roller spindle 35 is wound by downwardmovement of the screen 40 and consequently tends to rotate the roller 39in the opposite direction to wind the screen upon it and thus raise thelatter. If it is desired that the screen shall remain at rest with itslooking bar 44 positioned intermediately of the height of the window thebar is released and the spring M raises the screen until the shoes 85strike the top carriage stops 23. Then the frictional hold of thesprings 30 in the guideways l2 overcomes the tension of the spring lland prevents farther upward movement of the screen, though the lattermay be easily moved by hand to its top position. It will also be readilyseen that the length of the carriages 2i and their provision forvertical movement as well as their spring mounting prevents the shoesbinding if pressure in a vertical direction is exerted upon the baradjacent either of its lateral extremities.

The mounting of the housing 32 by means of the rods M which engage thesupports 48 upon the guides 3 provides a simple method for assemblingthe structure. The housing 32 with its slots 32a, to receive the lugs 34and 34a upon the end plates 33 and 33a, permits ready assembly ofhousings for different widths of windows. Similarly in the locking bar44 all the parts therein employed except the tubular casing itself arethe same for. various widths of windows, and consequently the use of thetension plate 54 and the latches 53 with their multiplicity of openingsBI facilitates both manufacture and assembly.

While in the foregoing the preferred embodiment of the invention hasbeen described and shown, it is understood that the invention issusceptible to such alterations and modifications as fall within thescope of the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. In an arrangement of the character described, the combination ofguides for attachment in parallel relation to opposite sides of a Irame,a spring wound roller mounted for rotation between the upper extremitiesof the guides, a length of flexible material partly wound around theroller having one extremity secured thereto, the lateral margins of theunwound portion of the flexible material extending into the guides forsliding movement therein, means slidably mounted in the guides in whichthe lower lateral extremities of the flexible material are supported forlimited longitudinal movement, and means tending to hold the slidablemeans stationary in the guides.

2. In an arrangement of the character de scribed, the combination ofguides for attachment in parallel relation to opposite sides of a frame,a spring wound roller mounted for rotation between the upper extremitiesof the guides, a length of flexible material partly wound around theroller having one extremity secured thereto, the lateral margins of theunwound portion of the flexible material extending into the guides forsliding movement therein, a carriage slidably mounted in each guide,springs tending to hold the carriages against movement, and means on thelower lateral extremities of the flexible material slidably mounted inthe carriages.

3. A roller screen comprising guides for attachment in parallel relationto opposite sides of a window frame, a spring wound roller mounted forrotation between the upper extremities of the guides, a flexible screenpartly wound around the roller and having one extremity secured thereto,the lateral margins of the unwound portion of the screen resting in theguides for sliding movement therein, a carriage slidably mounted in eachguide, a spring on each carriage bearing against the guide tending tohold the carriage stationary therein, shoes on the lateral lowerextremities of the screen slidable in the carriages, and stops at theextremities of the carriages to limit the movement of the shoes therein,said springs being adapted to hold the carriages still and with them theunwound portion of the screen.

4. A roller screen comprising two spaced guides having guideways formedtherein, a spring wound roller extending between the upper extremitiesof the guides, a flexible screen partly wound on the roller and securedat one extremity thereto, spaced flanges extending vertically on eachguide between which one lateral margin of the unwound portion of thescreen is vertically movable, a carriage mounted for vertical movementin each guide, said carriages being substantially U-shaped in section, ashoe mounted upon each lower lateral extremity of the screen, said shoesbeing slidable in the U-shaped carriages, stops at the verticalextremities of the carriages to prevent disengagement of the shoestherefrom, and a spring mounted upon each carriage adjacent one sidethereof exerting pressure against one of the guideways and tending tohold its carriage stationary whereby when the shoes contact the uppercarriage stops the springs tend to hold the screen stationary againstthe tension of the spring wound roller.

5. In an arrangement of the character described, the combination of twoguides adapted to be mounted in parallel spaced relation, a carriagemounted for sliding longitudinal movement in each guide, spring meanstending to hold each carriage immovable in its guide, and a bar eachextremity of which terminates in one of the carriages, said carriagesbeing movable with the bar longitudinally of the guides against thetension of the spring means. 7

LOUIS F. JULIEN.

